I just sold my athena, and got a touch enhanced. Same rom and ram, 1/3rd processor speed and no 3g are the main differences to me.
But, I was wondering, who would swap their athena for a kaiser or touch cruise if those devices had vga, making them basically the same specs as the athena.
Edit:
It seems that people wouldnt want a vga screen on a device with a small width in inches. I think this is really funny, because all people did when both the kaiser's and Touch Cruise's specs were finalised, was say how if only it was vga. But now I thnk about it, with realvga on my athena [96dpi], it was basically 4 hermes screens glues together, in terms of size and res. So, the text was about the same size on today as ti was n my hermes. But imagine real vga on a 2.8 screen, it would be like having 4 3cm by 2 cm screens glued together. Tiny writing. So i think you're right about the vga.
Rory
I would, but I can't stress enough how much I love the VGA screen. I have a TyTN as well and although the screen size is smaller, I can't stand the QVGA resolution
i imagine most would. I don't know why htc are so slow on the uptake with vga displays, they're hardly new technology. 800 by 480 would be better though
I would not swap my athena for anything but a higher spec upgrade. I would like something with the same size screen but true native vga resolution or above with more cpu and a gpu that can be used. For me the size is no problem and i love the keyboard. People stare at my athena all the time and i think it is funny. The only person that has commented negatively was the typical iphone user. But i shut him up when i told him my device specs My favorite thing to tell iphone users is can your phone do "copy and paste" then i just laugh at them. It seems that they might be fixing that in the next firmware release though. Anyway the athena is my first step into pda phones and i don't think i would be able to use anything else.
mcwtrekkie said:
I would, but I can't stress enough how much I love the VGA screen. I have a TyTN as well and although the screen size is smaller, I can't stand the QVGA resolution
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dido.
It is to note that I had a TyTN before the Athena, that had been given to me as a replacement for a Universal. And:
- that was the worst replacement I got ever. To me, screen was too small and low-res --> no usable Internet or word processing, however basic --> no need for the integrated keyboard, however good it may have been + no need for Wifi --> too thick and big, as well as too expensive for its practical use;
- the universal screen is 3,5" and VGA, and even if I am lucky to have excellent eyesight, I found it the bottom limit for readability.
So.... I'm not entirely sure one can really make full use of a VGA+ screen if it is not at the very least 4", and again, *at the very least*.
IMHO, of course.
Hell...I did it!!
What can I say....did I go off the Athena? Never, but my needs changed and I needed to be able to use my all-in-one device as a normal phone, without running into trouble when I forgot to charge my BT headset.
...So I ditched and got the Kaiser. Love the Kaiser even with its hardware driver issues, but I miss that large VGA display. There is nothing like it.
Having said that, that's all I miss. This thing is pocket friendly and with the exception of TV-Out (which I never really use) and the VGA screen, the Kaiser does it all.
Each to their own I guess. But I'll never have a bad word to say about the Athena....she'll always be my baby, lol. She's just too darn big to take out in public. ROFL.
Yeah i ditched too, after only 3 weeks, ive moved on to the tiny touch 256. I love my athena, and i dont want to send it off to its new home in italy, but i dont need it, and my mum's quite happy that i made 130 quid today. I think i will miss the massive screen, its area is about 3 times the touch's.
But i dont drive, so sont need gps, dont use tv out, and the touch at only 201 mhz wont make use of the hsdpa, and at school on both tytn and athena, i usually get 3g max, hardly ever hsdpa.
But theres my reasons for switching.
Oh yer, and because it couldnt make calls [check my sig]
x
No, I won't settle for a screen less than 4.5 inch big. realvga is useless for a 3.5 inch vga screen even at 128dpi.
I also hate having the integrated hardware keyboard. I'm a tablet person, loving Tengo very much.
I don't find Athen any less portable than say a Universal. I carry it without keyboard on my belt pouch, covered by my shirt so you don't even know or see me carry it.
well, before my athena i was using a mio a701 for like a year. it was quite a change because prior to that i was using an xda2i...which had a bigger screen. and switching over to the mio took some getting used to.
but now that i have a 5 inch screen it's so difficult to even think of switching back to a device with a smaller screen. i already upgraded the rom to ak 3.0 and it's the best ever. besides, the large screen is a good pacifier for my 3 year old when she want's to watch toons =)
cheers
why choose? I have both a touch, a tytn II and an Athena. My girlfriend uses the touch.. I use the Athena with a style-I in the car, as a gps, movie player or wherever i need to do work which involves browsing, excel and typing up large text bodies. Using style-i and Microsoft voice command I rarely take it out in public to make a call. The Athena is my best phone ever! The tytn II is a great side kick. Awesome keyboard for fast smses, putting in pim, even though the camera sucks, I still use it sometimes just to make a quick shot (hardly ever use the Athena camera as the quality just doesnt weigh up for the size) I even use the world card reader occasionally. Must say that I don't like browsing with the Tytn II, but it's still handy to have the chance to check some info etc in case my Athena is not close by.
in case of the Polaris, or an old universal for that matter, a 3,5 inch VGA screen is not big enough for my needs, (don't even think I would like a 4" screen) so if I had to choose, hypothetically speaking, I would still go for Athena
The large screen and internet anywhere (especially at 3G speeds) were the biggest reasons I bought it, so no, I wouldn't go back to a smaller screen even if most of the other specs on the other phone were better.
rorydaredkign said:
I just sold my athena, and got a touch enhanced. Same rom and ram, 1/3rd processor speed and no 3g are the main differences to me.
But, I was wondering, who would swap their athena for a kaiser or touch cruise if those devices had vga, making them basically the same specs as the athena.
Edit:
It seems that people wouldnt want a vga screen on a device with a small width in inches. I think this is really funny, because all people did when both the kaiser's and Touch Cruise's specs were finalised, was say how if only it was vga. But now I thnk about it, with realvga on my athena [96dpi], it was basically 4 hermes screens glues together, in terms of size and res. So, the text was about the same size on today as ti was n my hermes. But imagine real vga on a 2.8 screen, it would be like having 4 3cm by 2 cm screens glued together. Tiny writing. So i think you're right about the vga.
Rory
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an Athena and love it. I also have a Kaiser (2), Universal, Hermes, Wizard and a couple of other phones. I could/would never switch. The Kaiser is not that impressive. Plus performance on the Kaiser sucks until the driver issue is resolved, etc. Kaisers are also dying left and right so reliability is not up to par. I was a little upset with my Athena due to a MicroDrive hardware issue but after hooking it up to my laptop using WMStorage and formatting the MD with Windows XP and running defrag/scandisk on it, I have not had any issues with it. Let's just see how long I have before experiencing another problem..if it ever happens again.
by the way, find these threads, trying to evaluate the quality of the Athena boring and unnecessary. I will stop posting on them I think...
[email protected] said:
by the way, find these threads, trying to evaluate the quality of the Athena boring and unnecessary. I will stop posting on them I think...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what you're trying to tell everyone but ok. Take care.
ltxda said:
Not sure what you're trying to tell everyone but ok. Take care.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there are already many threads about what people think about the Athena. I think people keep it when they like and sell it if not.
[email protected] said:
there are already many threads about what people think about the Athena. I think people keep it when they like and sell it if not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotcha. Crystal clear.
[email protected] said:
there are already many threads about what people think about the Athena. I think people keep it when they like and sell it if not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
absolutely a good point. Smaller devices with with equivalent specification but smaller vga screen already exist. If there are so many voting yes but don't actually do it in action, something doesn't make sense.
My name is telling you my answer
The big screen is THE reason.
I've installed realVGA and use the 96dpi resolution. My GOD! I can't believe what I'm seeing. For once, a real workable work horse can be carried around. My previous phones does not let me see enough. The only problem I have is the keyboard. It's too small, even if I chose the big key option. Is there a way to make the keyboard standard size?
athenalover get lost. learn something on xda-wiki instead.
[email protected] said:
athenalover get lost. learn something on xda-wiki instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I'm still in the honeymoon period..I'd take my time, not in a hurry.
Joking. Your point taken. Thanks Martin.
Related
The specs say it is .6 inches or 16 mm thick. Is that with or without the keyboard... what about in the leather wallet?
bandersnatch said:
The specs say it is .6 inches or 16 mm thick. Is that with or without the keyboard... what about in the leather wallet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 16 mm specs is without keyboard, 20 mm with keyboard, 27 mm ~ 31 mm (aproximately because the leather wallet form is not uniform).
Regards!
Thanks
Thanks much. Seems pretty big. I wonder if it will fit in my shirt pocket...
Not unless you're on the 'large' side. I can only just get it in the big pockets on my combat style trousers. 'Tis a beast for sure!
not going to be the phone for me.
I hate to say it. I've been lusting after this thing since I heard it might be coming to tmo usa. But if it is as big as I think it is, I wouldn't be able to carry it on my person. That 5 inch screen is probably going to be too much of a good thing for me. I would have happily settled for 4.
thinking on the same lines
bandersnatch said:
I hate to say it. I've been lusting after this thing since I heard it might be coming to tmo usa. But if it is as big as I think it is, I wouldn't be able to carry it on my person. That 5 inch screen is probably going to be too much of a good thing for me. I would have happily settled for 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel the same way, when i first saw this device (heard the announcements about availability on T-Mobile in the UK) i was well excited and pleased, but then i did a thourough study regarding the size, including measuring my old diary which strangely seems to be about the size of the ameo in its case. I gave it some deep thought like "Gavin do you seriously think you can carry that around?, and the fact that you need a headset", hmmm will wait to hear about how others are getting along, especially after a few more weeks or months down the line. Ameo/ Athena users would like to hear more about:
1) You and your device on a daily basis, where do you carry it, and how do you use it? on a table/ lap/ other?
2) How is the keyboard getting along, or maybe you are using some other input methods?
3) What about calls are you using a wired headset or bluetooth stereo?
Just general impressions from owners over the last 3 weeks ( i know its not been long, sorry)
The Weight...
It is also 375 grams. The wizard is 150 grams. It weighs 250% MORE than a wizard....
bandersnatch said:
It is also 375 grams. The wizard is 150 grams. It weighs 250% MORE than a wizard....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where to begin after 2 weeks of owning an Ameo....happy. Yes very happy!
I would never have contemplated doing the things I do with the Ameo that I probably couls have done with previous devices owned (JasJar, Hermes, Prophet, Wizard, Xda Mini and Xda IIi....and others).
The Ameo can do what all these devices put together couldn't do.
TV out is quite a treat and allows everything to be displayed on virtually any other type of display that supports S-Video, Composite or VGA.
The USB host functionality allows a FULL PC USB keyboard or mouse (with pointer) to be used.....and it works extremely well!
Remote Desktop (WM6 version) is a joy to use on the Ameo...a smaller screen just would't be up to the Job. Whilst I'm having problems connecting to my own PC, I am easily and quickly connecting to my wife's XP Pro PC via RDP. It is truly astounding and responsive. You literally see and operate the XP PC as you would through your native monitor hooked up to your desktop PC.
Movie Playback when the occasion calls for it is pure eye candy if your using a DVD Rip. Sheer quality!
The speakers are no sound system but prove to be worthy of being best-in class from my experience of PPC devices to date. It is loud and NOT tinny or hollow.
WM5 is no faster than any other 520Mhz device I have used....but that will change when we can upgrade to WM6.
WMLive (from WM6) works seemlessly and beautifully and you even get a Message tone and visual notification of incoming Instant messages or Voice clips...if on-line at the time of incoming message. It's fast and works very well for me.
Wisbar Advance 2 completely changes the look and feel of the device and this is where standard VGA as opposed to ozVGA comes into its own for me, as the font size is just right for me and the cascading start menu etc works well with this size screen.
The Screen. Yes the screen is amazing.....and if screen real estate is tht important to some...you instantly have a choice of a host of resolutions if using RDP to XP/Vista and there are tweaks such as ozVGA and others if you really need it in the WM O/S.
The keyboard....NOT impressed in the slightest! I much prefer the keyboard on the Universal. With that I can type up a book if need be in comparison to the non-tactile feedback of the keyboard buttons on the Athena....but it's not a major issue for me as I am usually at a desk where this problem is much alleviated by a steady base on which to place the Ameo. Full size USB keyboard and mouse come into their element here with the standard non-supplied 4-1 cable.
The Ameo is a great GPS device with a screen large and clear enough to rival the biggest dedicated in-built GPS systems in top-spec luxury or performance cars. I'm not complaining.
Dual TV screen for GPS, Movies or internet surfing using HSDPA whilst travelling a few hundred miles with the kids is great. The possibilities are staggering.
I won't go on.....because the Ameo has much more to offer IMHO. I was considering a Sony UX UMPC, now I've got the Ameo, forget it. I've got me direct access to a powerhouse desktop PC where I can edit videos download torrents and other large files directly to my home or office PC whilst retaining the enhanced Mobile telephony functions of this baby via a tiny BT earpiece.
Call quality is excellent and I'm able to receive calls whilst on wi-fi or GPRS/3G/HSDPA...but this is sometimes temperamental. The new HTC Shift will be the new king, but for me, I'll be sticking with the barely pocketable Ameo.
Yes it's larger than any other device called a Pocket PC, but then this is far more than the sum of its or any other devices parts.
Did I mention that the on-board 3megapixel camera was the best I have come across in any PPC? and that it far surpassed my expectations? Well it has, enough so that I no longer need to carry another camera around at any time.
Long live the Athena....you could do worse....but I doubt you'll do better for quite some time. It just comes down to what you're comfortable with.
For your information....I carry mine without Leather casing or keyboard happily in my front or rear jeans pocket or inside suit pocket....but it actually fits with everything together aswell, but then it is a tight squeeze.
Hope my long boring post helps some of you to stick to your original decision and get one...you won't regret it...but if not..why not try one for a week and return it to your supplier if your not happy with it.
Very good and informative post. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
eagle 1 said:
Very good and informative post. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the positive feedback.
@ All....Additionally thanks to Eagle1 I can now connect to all PC's in my office/home from my Ameo via wi-fi!! Great stuff....HSDPA - Home network is next on the Agenda.
This device is become more and more like a UMPC, but without the ability to play movies or games....but that can be done natively through WM5 and a PSP if one is that way enclined.
Well, looks really like a cool device, was waiting for a VGA, GPS, fast processor, WM6 with keyboard for a loooong time...
but first what i did was look for the size of Qtek 9000, which had all that, but could not have it (had it for testing for 2 weeks), since it was too heavy and big for a device that i carry with me all the time...
If it was only a little lighter and smaller.... the HP 4700 screen was more then big enough for PDAs, think it was 4", and bigger device then that (also fatter) just does not get me. But the features are perfect, they just need to squeeze it into 4"vga, 250g max. and then ill be running into the store looking for it.. untill then whoever buys it, hope you enjoy it, it looks really like the best pda out now..
But here is somthing that catches my eye...
http://www.gsmarena.com/i_mate_ultimate_7150-1882.php
is this a HTC product? and if, anyone knows their version of this phone?
a VGA 3.5 + keyboard , secondary display outside so you dont have to open the pda if getting a call ...
now thats a heart breaker for me
As far as I know, it's not a HTC product...
Moskus said:
As far as I know, it's not a HTC product...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's not, iMate is no longer partner of HTC, this device is made by also a Taiwanese company, but not HTC.
papizdono said:
But here is somthing that catches my eye...
http://www.gsmarena.com/i_mate_ultimate_7150-1882.php
is this a HTC product? and if, anyone knows their version of this phone?
a VGA 3.5 + keyboard , secondary display outside so you dont have to open the pda if getting a call ...
now thats a heart breaker for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I took a look at this, but was disappointed that it does not support SDHC, which means I can't have wikipedia and lots of MP3 music with me.
I understand that HTC is the one designing and manufacturing the i_mate (please check this out yourself from wikipedia under HTC). HTC in fact designs and manufactures just about everyone's PDA including Dell's, HP's, etc. but they just put in other's labels until recently when they starts to use their own HTC label.
eaglesteve said:
I took a look at this, but was disappointed that it does not support SDHC, which means I can't have wikipedia and lots of MP3 music with me.
I understand that HTC is the one designing and manufacturing the i_mate (please check this out yourself from wikipedia under HTC). HTC in fact designs and manufactures just about everyone's PDA including Dell's, HP's, etc. but they just put in other's labels until recently when they starts to use their own HTC label.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that is only true about 4 months ago, now HTC don't design and manufacture for iMate anymore, it's done by another taiwanese company (can't remember the name).
wu5262 said:
that is only true about 4 months ago, now HTC don't design and manufacture for iMate anymore, it's done by another taiwanese company (can't remember the name).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see... Thanks for the updated info, Wu.
Hi all.
I have a HTC Athena for daily use and others for developing and testing (Tynt, s200, p3300 and Universal) and I ve the posibility to get a cheap kaiser. My question (not easy)is..
"...Should I replace my Athena with kaiser??"
Athena strong points against kaiser.
1) SCREEN SCREEN SCREEN
2) a better Keyboard?
Athena weak points agains kaiser
1) Worst gps
2) very bulky.
3) My headsets makes me crazy many times.
4) touchflo?
I would like to listen other thoughts about it....
Thanks¡
I actually have both but am considering selling the Athena as it proved to be just a bit too big for my daily use... I just need to be able to put it into a pocket (even if it bulges out) every once in a while - something I couldn't do with the Athena, especially not in the leather 'case'. And I'm not a big fan of the 'quick-draw-western-style' holsters for the belt...
I've had the Kaiser only for a very few days and have found a few bugs, but they are not deal-breaking for me... and I'm enjoying the form-factor...
Functionality-wise I think they are very similar... apart from the VGA-resolution screen on the Athena.
Thanks Marcoma.
Apart of form-factor, do you appreciate more improvements in kaiser not present in athena (speed, phone speed, battery live, etc, etc).?
I think I would miss the vga screen too much
Dani
Well - the speed does seem a bit faster, but then again it is only driving a 320 x 240 resolution... I am able to watch movies again which is really nice (have to use an adapter for the headphones though since it doesn't have that nice 3.5" plug like the Athena) and I benchmark around 145 - 170% in Coreplayer.
Remember the actual CPU is slower than the Athena (520 - 620MHz if I remember correctly).
I don't find the phone a lot faster, but I didn't use the phone itself that often... the battery lasts about as long as I got out of the Athena... depending on the usage 1 - 2 days. if you watch movies, use GPS etc. it's a day - no more
What is very nice is the application that comes bundles where one just takes a picture of a business-card and it OCR's the picture and puts it right into contact - pretty darn accurate and way cool (and for me actually useful).
Overall, i feel it's like the Athena, just in a smaller package...
I had a HTC Advantage X7500. I returned that to mobileplanet for a full refund $1100. Now I own a HTC Kaiser TyTN II $750. I would call Kaiser the best available in its size group.
I disliked a few things in the HTC Advantage X7500. High Price, Battery not highly upgradable, Size, Weight, Portability,
When HTC Advantage X7500 prices drop I will go back for it. I love the fact that you can upgrade its microdrive and it supports miniSDHC. HTC Athena is a good device for modding.
I have seen a lot of people who are in the Kaiser community who are no more in the Athena community.
danielherrero said:
Hi all.
I have a HTC Athena for daily use and others for developing and testing (Tynt, s200, p3300 and Universal) and I ve the posibility to get a cheap kaiser. My question (not easy)is..
"...Should I replace my Athena with kaiser??"
Athena strong points against kaiser.
1) SCREEN SCREEN SCREEN
2) a better Keyboard?
Athena weak points agains kaiser
1) Worst gps
2) very bulky.
3) My headsets makes me crazy many times.
4) touchflo?
I would like to listen other thoughts about it....
Thanks¡
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not used a kaiser but..
Worst GPS? Why?
touchflo?
better keyboard? not tried kaiser but prefer Universals.
Well, finally got a kaiser.
1) Screen is qvga, logically
2) GPS is much much better.
3) Fits in my pocket.
4) Keyboard is good but Athena's one is better.
5) I can forget my headset if not necesary
....
I am happy with It but I wouldnt pay 650€ for a kaiser if I already ve an Athena....
danielherrero said:
Thanks Marcoma.
Apart of form-factor, do you appreciate more improvements in kaiser not present in athena (speed, phone speed, battery live, etc, etc).?
I think I would miss the vga screen too much
Dani
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
speed? The Athena has clearly the faster processor and running the same OS (assuming WM6) why should Kaister be faster?
Im in a similar boat, T-mobile upgrade is due, using a hermes, considering the Athena, but feel the Kasier is what I need. I really love reading all the athena stuff, and feel its a great device but on a daily basis ill just go crazy. Found an old diary which is about the same dimensions of the Athena, and kept carrying it everywhere to imagine what it would be like using the athena. Anyways I am gonna pop into a T-mobile shop and see what deals are available on both and then decide. Its more like Loving this hot babe, but knowing you cant live with her... LoL..
if you are more of a talker then a smaller phone is for you
personally i am much more of a internet browser, video streamer etc so the Athena blows away anything for me at the moment.
Its more like a mini laptop that can make phone calls than a true phone which suits me just fine but is not for everyone
Spacecat I echo your point. I'm also more an internet browsing person, although I also watch movies a lot with its big screen. So for me the big screen, although bigger size, is the biggest advantage of Athena. I don't care about hardware keyboard as Tengo is working so well for me, especially on big screen.
After using real VGA at 128 dpi, I just can't imagine using QVGA. Its simply no longer acceptable anymore. A small VGA screen does not go well with realVGA even at 128 dpi( this is assuming that you do come across a smaller VGA enabled device)
Bottom line: BIG VGA screen is the single most important consideration for me. It's not the storage space or keyboard, especially when you can get 8GB microSDHC card.
Thank you spacecat and eaglesteve, for your inputs, I am gonna think this one out a bit more, but it always feels very re-assuring to hear first hand experiences.
I am a 8525 user and i will upgrade soon
but i'm not sure with one i'll choose
I have read lots of reviews of the athena,one thing I haven't found, is it possible to use it as a phone ( speak with it, with out a speaker phone or a bluetooth)
just placing it against my head and speak
and no vibration ... ? how do you get your mail or sms during a meeting ?
is it possible to put it in your pocket ... for exemple in a pocket of a jacket coat or a jeans ?
thank you
The phone works out of the box as a 'speaker phone'. If you plug in a pair of earphones you get privacy for the incoming side of the conversation and the mike will still work. This makes it similar to a regular phone. If you have a 3.5 plug headset that will work also as will bluetooth headsets.
I doubt this device would ever get in a jeans pocket unless you have a large cargo pocket on the outside of the leg. I have been using such pairs of pants and it is satisfactory but I think a pouch attached to your belt is the best way to go.
Brad
I do hold it against my face.
ariaguest said:
and no vibration ... ? how do you get your mail or sms during a meeting ?
thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not an issue for me. I simply go to sound setting and change the announcement for new sms and mail to a soft beep. I can always hear it but others don't really notice it. Or if they do, no one has said anything. You can do the same for incoming call before going into a meeting, just change the ringtone to a soft beep.
I do use the phone without bluetooth and hold it against my face. Does'nt bother me a bit. However,when using voip, I use a wired headset otherwise there will be echo at the other end as the other guy's voice coming out of the speaker feed into the microphone.
I use a diy belt pouch to carry it around without keyboard,and it's not big at all.
I also prefare X7500, althogh have just ordered Keiser fir m wife. The screen is most important. When in the car there is no comparison to any other device. I use it hardly as a phone, but also as data/info storage, mailing, internert and as access pont for my laptop, when on the move.
I always use my Jabra stereo headset and keep it on a belt. This way I do not have to bother to get it out when the call rings. People usualy do not know wheather I am on the pohone or am talking to them. This is the only problem. Jabra aso works great when on voip.
same doubts. I'm on the 3 pieces bandwagon. A tablet (IBM X60) which is the main office, a very slim/small/cheap cell (LG KG320) and a WM hardware. Until few days ago I use a HTC TyTN and went to HKG looking for an Athena. Find only the old Dopod version and get disapointed with the white looking and price. So, got a Kaiser. Very good machine, no questions. BUT, when I want to work light the Kaiser is not enough to show products to a client. The screen is just to small for a more professional use. On the other hand is too expensive and bulky for a constant use as a cell (which I carry even for jogging). I think that if you choose the 3 pieces approach for a mobile work the Athena is probably the best. I had a look on the UMPCs and find many nice and even well priced. Problem? Vista. Who wants a mobile hardware with slow boot and all the problems Vista related (plus anemic processors) and a battery that does not last a full work day? I will try to get an Athena from USA where the prices are more reasonable.
Hi all:
I have been recently comparing both of these phones and so far find myself leaning towards the xperia simply because for me two things are a must: hardware keyboard and a memory expansion slot. Both of these the Diamond lacks.
What are your thoughts? suggestions?
thesire said:
Hi all:
I have been recently comparing both of these phones and so far find myself leaning towards the xperia simply because for me two things are a must: hardware keyboard and a memory expansion slot. Both of these the Diamond lacks.
What are your thoughts? suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you considered the Raphael? Best of both worlds. Otherwise, I would shoot for the Xperia.
i would go for Xperia x1.. take a look at the resolution and the amazing bigger screen and ofcrse the card expansion slot
i voted diamond because im getting one on day 1, but im sure, ill get an x1 at some point, and it may well be that the diamond goes to ebay so i can get the x1. it all depends really. i was looking at a vid on yt of the x1, and the panels chooser looks amazing, but when u select one and it goes to home it takes so long. this was way back in feb, so things will probably improve with the new amount of ram. if they do, and its fast at everything ill get one. just like you lot because of the keyboard and microsd.
Rory
rorydaredkign said:
i voted diamond because im getting one on day 1, but im sure, ill get an x1 at some point, and it may well be that the diamond goes to ebay so i can get the x1. it all depends really. i was looking at a vid on yt of the x1, and the panels chooser looks amazing, but when u select one and it goes to home it takes so long. this was way back in feb, so things will probably improve with the new amount of ram. if they do, and its fast at everything ill get one. just like you lot because of the keyboard and microsd.
Rory
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd go with the Diamond... The X1 Panels is just an expensive gimmick that does nothing (although I'm gonna try and rip it out of an X1 ROM I have for fun )!
I think the Raphael would be the best of both!
well sonyE are more set in the phone market maybe they will not cut corners with drivers
as rep means alot when you are as big as them
I voted Xperia X1, but will be buying a Diamond. And the only reason behind that is that I think that technically the Xperia X1 is a better device in terms of hardware, but it’s not available yet, and probably not until September / October / November.
As I’m impatient, and the Diamond is a good upgrade from my current Orbit that’s the way I will be going. But come end of the year I might be getting a new shiny X1-mas prezzie.
I vote Raphael!
http://www.gsmhelpdesk.nl/en/read.php?id=2918&ch=1
http://www.gsmhelpdesk.nl/en/specs.php?id=2522
I voted Diamond because it's here and the Xperia X1 is vapourware. Remember the 990i? How long did that POS take to be released?
Kevin
I'd certainly like to get the Raphael, but it looks like it's Tri-band for the European market, so it wouldn't be very usable in the States. Xperia for me, as keyboard is a must.
http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/05/exclusive-preview-24-hours-with-the-sony-ericsson-xperia-x1/
i find it amusing that the landscape pic show that sonyE are currently using htc xbutton as taskmanager
and the "virtual desktop" system dont seem to be active currently
so so far imho it's more of a htc phone with a htc rom then a htc phone with a sonyE rom
X1 for me, only because of WVGA. The real question is, how soon will XDA-devs have TouchFlo3D ready for it. That would make this choice that much easier.
I'm thinking of Sam_i900.Especially if the rumors are true...
Regards!
if you mean about the mem then will 32GB microSD cards not come along soon and make internal mem les importent?
I'm a hardware keyboard fan, so it's between the Raphael and X1, and currently the X1 seems best to me due to WVGA screen (which will make browsing the web & watching videos much better) and the curved slide, which will make the loss of my Kaiser's tilting screen easier to bear than the no-tilt on the Raphael.
I guess the X1 will be more expensive though... will have to see.
DavidMc0 said:
I'm a hardware keyboard fan, so it's between the Raphael and X1, and currently the X1 seems best to me due to WVGA screen (which will make browsing the web & watching videos much better) and the curved slide, which will make the loss of my Kaiser's tilting screen easier to bear than the no-tilt on the Raphael.
I guess the X1 will be more expensive though... will have to see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I doubt the X1 will be as heavily subsidised as the Raphael... Also, I believe the Raphael may still have the kaiser tilt functionality
well for us people in the states are gonna have to stick with the x1 cause of the band limitations of the other devices...
Have you think of the actual screen size?
I just want to point out a fact that maybe misleaded by the public. Everyone is saying that the X1 3 inch screen is larger than the Diamond 2.8 inch. It's correct for the diagonal, but have you calculated the actual physical dimension of each pixel?
I don't go into the detail calculation as it should be easily reproduced...
For a 2.8 inch VGA screen, the width of each pixel is 0.0035 inch.
For a 3 inch WVGA screen, the width of each pixel is 0.00321 inch.
That means all text on a 3 inch WVGA screen is about 8% smaller than a 2.8 inch VGA screen.
However, I'm not saying a larger or smaller screen is the only factor for a buying decision. But the fact should be revealed as well.
A_C said:
I just want to point out a fact that maybe misleaded by the public. Everyone is saying that the X1 3 inch screen is larger than the Diamond 2.8 inch. It's correct for the diagonal, but have you calculated the actual physical dimension of each pixel?
I don't go into the detail calculation as it should be easily reproduced...
For a 2.8 inch VGA screen, the width of each pixel is 0.0035 inch.
For a 3 inch WVGA screen, the width of each pixel is 0.00321 inch.
That means all text on a 3 inch WVGA screen is about 8% smaller than a 2.8 inch VGA screen.
However, I'm not saying a larger or smaller screen is the only factor for a buying decision. But the fact should be revealed as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But, having more pixels on the screen may make up for the fact they're smaller. You get a lot more pixels with the X1.
However, I think the Raphael is still the best offering...
Panels is a nice idea, but has so little effect, whereas TF3D makes a big difference to usability...
will be interesting to see how the cam in x1 is
as i believe like most other phone makers got a rep
for better cams then htc does
though personaly i think anything Cmos rather then CCD (real dig cams)
look odd and slightly sinister
Is there any device in market or coming soon similar to Athena?
Important features included:
large screen (5" or above)
under $1000
long battery life
instant on
wifi, gps
weight about 1 lb
It should have more than one in this market segment.
Thanks!
Where have you been? Look at it's successor HTC Advantage X7510: http://www.digitalburn.com/index.php/2008/05/21/review-of-htcs-x7510-advantage/
...
alui said:
Is there any device in market or coming soon similar to Athena?
Important features included:
large screen (5" or above)
under $1000
long battery life
instant on
wifi, gps
weight about 1 lb
It should have more than one in this market segment.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good question. I'm looking for it too. I was hoping that 7510 was going to be it, but no. It was a step backward instead of forward, from my perspective and based on the way I'm going to use it.
I would add FM radio, support High Capacity external memory cards, 5MB camera, fluid video recorder, television, more rounded and thinner than 7500/7510.
I would like it to maintain the existing aspect ratio and not move toward 480x800 for the sake of software compatibility. No thanks, I don't want a 2.8" screen.
As you can see, there is none in the market that meets my dream list. So I guess I'd be using my Athena for a long long time to come still.
alui said:
Is there any device in market or coming soon similar to Athena?
Important features included:
large screen (5" or above)
under $1000
long battery life
instant on
wifi, gps
weight about 1 lb
It should have more than one in this market segment.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
question: All the things you've mentioned are included in the Athena, so why are you looking for something else????
Or if you don't mind a small screen and the absence of a keyboard, check out the Samsung Omnia: http://samsungomnia.com/
To be honest, if this had a better screen size, I would not consider saving up for the X7510, but nothing beats the screen of the Athena and Advantage as of now.
...
cktlcmd said:
Or if you don't mind a small screen and the absence of a keyboard, check out the Samsung Omnia: http://samsungomnia.com/
To be honest, if this had a better screen size, I would not consider saving up for the X7510, but nothing beats the screen of the Athena and Advantage as of now.
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed. You'd really appreciate Athena's (big) size when you're using e-reader program, pdf file viewer, SoftMakers (when in 92dpi especially), and internet browsing. You can see those otherwise too tiny fonts.
eaglesteve said:
Indeed. You'd really appreciate Athena's (big) size when you're using e-reader program, pdf file viewer, SoftMakers (when in 92dpi especially), and internet browsing. You can see those otherwise too tiny fonts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am dying in waiting here... for the X7510. On The Go Solutions will have it in stock by tomorrow. I keep holding back because I am waiting for the price of the X7500 (brand new) to drop to at least $900. If I can't control myself, I'll be buying the X7510 by next week. But before I order, I still want to know that they have it in stock, because the release date keeps moving back.
I even purchased ahead of time the following: Brando Workshop's Ultra clear screen protector, LG HBM 700 BT Communicator, heck... I even ordered a customized belt holster from Nutshell in Horizontal Style that houses both the case and the X7510 with keyboard. I had to make sure I didn't messed up on the size specifications I provided, so I waited for some reviews to confirm it. I guess we'll know in a few days.
...
For my the Athena is the best device today even compared with with the newer devices about to be released, HTC had the chance to get out a much better device with the 7510 but they didn't deliver.
In my opinion the only better thing is they doubled the amount of memory to 16gb and that is solid state rather than a hard disk, so what (8GB micro SDs cost peanuts this days and 16gb will soon be out there) but not joypad or buttons.
I want my next device with a proper graphics chip and the most sensitive gps chip out there and a camera that actually deliver even in poor light conditions
I want the OS and applications as good as those made by Apple or better and for gods sake Athena it is a VGA device, I want VGA working out of the box.
a little more ram will hep too ( for speed) and the phone function should work flawless at all times.
transflective LCD screen any one?
those are the issues that if solved will make a difference to my, and yea they can be solved the proof is this forum and excelent roms and apps.
Is anybody from HTC reading this?
said this I still convinced than Athena+XDA develoers hard work is the best device out there even after a year.
right, I feel much better now
oh yea good try with the new keyboard but not good enough.
i was reading this thread... and i had the urge to bump it up.
lol.
ciao!
HTC SHIFT? A bit Bigger... but loses some of the mobile capabilities and batt life?
Three months later and the answer to this thread is still the same - the 7500 or 7501 are still the best on the market. 7510 gives up too much, and nothing else on the market has the screen size, battery life, instant on, wifi, bt, etc.
For me, the replacement model is the HTC Touch HD.
Touch HD
I am also intrigued by the Touch HD, but I can't see on its spec page if it has VGA out. I use my Advantage to hook up to a projector and run PowerPoint. (Maybe I need a pocket sized projector that takes an SD card instead?)
touch hd lacks the hardware keyboard and gps, right? but atleast maybe they already fixed the graphic card issue in touch hd.
jetherson said:
touch hd lacks the hardware keyboard and gps, right? but atleast maybe they already fixed the graphic card issue in touch hd.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They have not only gps but also A-gps.
Thank goodness there is no keyboard.
Athena screen size attracted me most, though its a little bulky.
Xperia X1 is my prefer choice, if it is 1 inch more.
eaglesteve said:
They have not only gps but also A-gps.
Thank goodness there is no keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i see, i must have misread that gps thingy somewhere.
While Touch HD is the best replacement today, I'm still waiting for a 4.5 inch minimmum screen, with FM and TV and joystick. I don't mind not having the other hardware buttons but I really really want the joystick.
I prefer no keyboard personally. Just want the same form factor as the Touch HD.
I'm intrigued by the t-mob G1
http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/g1-appears-on-t-mobiles-site/
black--rider said:
HTC SHIFT? A bit Bigger... but loses some of the mobile capabilities and batt life?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"a bit" bigger. nah, it is like several times bigger, i can take and post comparison photos
the truth is, while the shift is really small for a vista pc, the athena is incredibly small. (just don't compare it to normal phones )
Some recent unconnected bits of information on the web have got me thinking that sooner or later there will be another iteration of the Athena series, an x7520 if you will.
First, on Engadget/Engadgetmobile, there was the blog on
How would you change HTC's Advantage X7510?
http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/08/how-would-you-change-htcs-advantage-x7510/
Then there are the regular posts about new HTC projects with new code names, for instance, HTC QUAR100:
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/09/08/the-htc-quar100-a-north-american-exclusive/
Then finally, even though it hasn't been announced, Samsung is now making 1.0 inch form factor SSD's, and they are not sata, but pata devices (like the 1.0 microdrives). The largest is 32gb, which trumps the x7510's 16gb:
http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/productList.do?fmly_id=161
http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/productInfo.do?fmly_id=161&partnum=MCCOE32GZMPP
I'd wager that a successor will be announced around the CES show next year.
All I can say, is that it better have great video performance and the joystick back.
What do you think?
What do I think ???
I don't think there would be any replacement for the HTC Advantage. Why? It is not selling well because of their stupid decision to remove the buttons and joy stick control. Not to mention, the only thing they changed is the keyboard and flash memory. No provider wants to carry it. The only phone operator I read offering the X7510 is TMobile Germany. Even at the country of it's origin, it barely made news when released. The only thing that will save the X7510 at this point is if HTC gave it to phone operators at a very cheap price. Which I suggest they should do now rather than let it sit in their storage due to better models coming out with better specs.
I am sorry to admit this... but I think this is the end for our babies with 5 inch screens. Which I hope won't be the case. I believe a better move on their part is to update the HTC Universal.
I think you have some valid points.
Many of the comments on 'How you would change the x7510' on the Engadget thread mentioned lack of joystick and OK buttons. Major mistake on HTC's parts.
So really there are three options:
HTC abandons the format
HTC introduces one more model with 32GB SSD, joystick or not.
HTC introduces a similar form factor, but totally new design.
I believe that they will at least do the 32GB option, as they don't have to change any hardware.
I would prefer the following changes atleast.
1. More slimmer device.
2. Change the old PXA270 processor to PXA310.
3. Newer phones come with 256MB RAM and 512MB ROM.
Hopefully they will change those too in the new model.
4. Windows Mobile 7
6. Support 800*480 Resolution.
--Srini
Heres what I would improve:
1. Remove the buttons on the face, and make the screen larger (stretch in to the corners of the device. Put the removed buttons on the sides or top of the device.
2. Higher res screen 800x480 ?
3. Larger microdrive, 64GB atleast.
4. Full size SD-card lot, maybe even two.
5. Make the device slimmer.
6. Slide out keyboard (portrait).
7. Newer generation and faster CPU (800MHz ?) / GPU (NVidia ?) combo.
8. 300MB RAM (atleast)
9. 512MB ROM (atleast)
10. Better camera with atleast VGA @ 30 FPS recording.
11. Make a docking station for the device in portrait. With the headphone out and USB host in front and the rest on the back. Dont forget support to charge a second battery.
So what do you guys think ?
1. Put vibrate back in.
2. Change screen aspect ratio from 4:3 to 16:9 (would make it easier to hold like a phone and would give us full-page-width browsing, video)
3. Give us a private speaker so we don't have to carry BT all the time.
4. Put the buttons and joystick back.
5. Include chipset for WiMax.
Yeah what he said plus what I said makes it the almost perfect PDA.
there is something in the works that i know of but i dont know if u would consider this a athena successor. cant give details though.
Now why did you do that ? Common tell us something ! Just anything !
StashCompInc said:
Now why did you do that ? Common tell us something ! Just anything !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
problem is i dont know if u would consider it a athena successor. it doesnt have a microdrive and the screen isn't as big. sorry cant give more details.
Touch HD ?, or is it the Omni your talking about ? None of them are up to the task.
StashCompInc said:
Touch HD ?, or is it the Omni your talking about ? None of them are up to the task.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope. not any one of those. these devices the public doesnt know about.
Well then thats something to look forward to.
Nope the magic words "screen isn't as big" and I loose all interest.
The biggest appeal to me for the Athena is the 5 inch screen.
I would however like it slimmer and a full size sd slot.
With the joystick back, a slimmer unit and a full size sd slot it would be near the perfect device for me.
I don't think HTC will simply abandon Athena form factor. For one thing it looks that MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices) will be a popular thing next year and for me Athena is a true MID and for now the best MID.
So what I'm hoping for is that HTC will come up with a new MID device sometime in 2009, that could be a successor to Athena, hopefully with WM7 (I have a silly idea that WM7 will be released together with Win7 sometime in June/July) and with 5" WVGA screen, new faster CPU and more storage...
Pawel062 said:
nope. not any one of those. these devices the public doesnt know about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pawel,
I know Blackstone is not quite a replacement for the 5 inch screen, but it has FM radio, and faster HSDPA speed. I'm quite keen to go for this. However, if there is something better in the pipeline, I might wait.
I like Blackstone's form factor, but was disappointed with its mere 3.8 inch screen. Of course there are also other disappointments such as the lack of joystick, tv-out, small built-in storage, but the biggest disappointment is the small size.
I hope the replacement model that you have been told retains the 5 inch screen, latest HSDPA, wimax, have embedded earpiece, and similar form factor as blackstone (ie slim and light). Am I likely to be disappointed?
eaglesteve said:
Pawel,
I know Blackstone is not quite a replacement for the 5 inch screen, but it has FM radio, and faster HSDPA speed. I'm quite keen to go for this. However, if there is something better in the pipeline, I might wait.
I like Blackstone's form factor, but was disappointed with its mere 3.8 inch screen. Of course there are also other disappointments such as the lack of joystick, tv-out, small built-in storage, but the biggest disappointment is the small size.
I hope the replacement model that you have been told retains the 5 inch screen, latest HSDPA, wimax, have embedded earpiece, and similar form factor as blackstone (ie slim and light). Am I likely to be disappointed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if u enjoy the blackstone. i would go for it. the one im talking about doesnt have all the specs u wanted btw.
edit: btw i want to get the blackstone so there really is nothing too much better in the near term coming.
Pawel062 said:
if u enjoy the blackstone. i would go for it. the one im talking about doesnt have all the specs u wanted btw.
edit: btw i want to get the blackstone so there really is nothing too much better in the near term coming.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about the HTC 8290? If the specs are correct, it's like the Touch HD, except it's got WiMax and TV-out. The lack of TV-out on the Touch HD is a big disappointment to me. I would have bought the HD instantaneously had it had this feature. If the 8290 does have it, and has both WiMax and HSPA, it seems very attractive to me.
Regarding the Advantage, I believe they will keep the form factor because as stated above, MIDs are coming and the Advantage really is pocketable and light enough compared to many other MID offerings. If I were HTC I'd wait for WM 7, and probably use the Tegra APX2500 processor.
Pawel062 said:
if u enjoy the blackstone. i would go for it. the one im talking about doesnt have all the specs u wanted btw.
edit: btw i want to get the blackstone so there really is nothing too much better in the near term coming.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pawel,
Thanks for your info. I guess I would go for Blackstone as an interim device while waiting for the ultimate Athena replacement. I thought I could live with a 4 inch (and 3.8 inch is close to that) screen, but after making up a prototype and played with it, I don't think the screen is big enough yet. May be 4.5 at the very minimum. I had played with the iPhone and just don't like the small screen. Too much zooming in and out when surfing the net and that drives me nut after a while.
Sigh... May be Athena as it is now is still the best, even when compared to Blackstone.
eaglesteve said:
Pawel,
Thanks for your info. I guess I would go for Blackstone as an interim device while waiting for the ultimate Athena replacement. I thought I could live with a 4 inch (and 3.8 inch is close to that) screen, but after making up a prototype and played with it, I don't think the screen is big enough yet. May be 4.5 at the very minimum. I had played with the iPhone and just don't like the small screen. Too much zooming in and out when surfing the net and that drives me nut after a while.
Sigh... May be Athena as it is now is still the best, even when compared to Blackstone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea, i dont mind the 3.8in screen. i have the iphone 3g and have gotten used to the zooming bc of the multitouch. afaik, there isnt anything with a screen bigger than that of the blackstones coming out anytime soon unless theres something in the works that i dont know about.